John 3:16 - what does it really mean?

Question

John 3:16 is probably the most popular, most memorized, and most quoted verse in the Bible, but really - what does it say or mean? (For God so loved the World that he gave his only begotten Son...)

1. The verse says that God "GAVE" his son to the World. Well, Jesus was only here for 33 years - just a drop in the infinite sea of time. God Knew Jesus would come back to heaven and they were in constant contact via prayer. Was this supposed to be an emotionally challenging time apart for God/Jesus?

2. What does the word "Begotten" mean anyway?

3. The verse also refers to Jesus as God's "ONLY" son. Well, being God he can presumably have as many sons as he wants. As a Father if I let my son drive my ONLY car that would be one thing, but if I had 10 and could buy 100 more if I wanted, the gesture wouldn't mean as much.

Anyway, millions of people die horrible deaths and most live on Earth for more than 33 years. Why is it such a big gift or sacrafice that Jesus did it?

Answer 1

Your question is a very good one, if you are truly looking for an answer. But you have to go beyond the superficial and literal thinking that tends to litter the religious landscape of American (and Western in general) spirituality. For example, you focus on the fact that Jesus in his earthly life was only here for 33 years - but ignore the fact that, according to ancient Christian dogma, he is God from before the ages and "is, was, and ever shall be". So the "giving" of God's son to the world is not just a temporary phenomenon, but a giving that is ontological, real and true in its essence, eternal, and causal.

To understand better what this means, we also have to focus on the fact that God so loved "the world". This does not refer to just human beings, but to all of his creation. Indeed, in this connection, the word "gave" can be understood more precisely - because it is the eternal purpose of the Son of God, being uncreated, to join together completely with His creation. This is the ultimate gift - to mankind and to all of creation: that God (through His Only-begotten Son) created it, sustains it and joined with it taking it on as His own nature while remaining God.

As for "begotten", it means that Christ in his divine nature and essence was born of God the Father - not created by Him. Exactly how this occurred is a mystery of God which humans are no more able to fathom than a child's drawing in crayon can fathom genetics and the way in which the artist who drew it was born.

Regarding "Only", you presume too much if you presume that God can "have as many sons as he wants". We know nothing of the internal life of the Holy Trinity, let alone how the Second Person, or Son of God, was begotten; but we do know from God's revelation to man that the Trinity is pre-eternal, immutable (unchangeable) and perfect - therefore there is no potential for there to be other Persons of the Holy Trinity. In other words, what you see is what you get: God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit. No other "sons" by nature. The other "sons" of God - those people who love and turn to Him - are "sons by adoption" in the body of Christ through the grace of the Holy Spirit.

Last but not least, you focus on the horrible deaths of millions of people - and yes, that is true. But the salvation of humanity that was wrought by Jesus is not through the quantity or quality of his suffering on the Cross (as some would have us believe). The Church, through her holy gospels, shows this clearly when she describes Christ being crucified between two other people - in other words, his physical death as a man was no worse than that of the two thieves who were hanging on crosses right next to him, and arguably (from a purely human perspective) even easier, because he died more quickly. And they were not the only ones ever to be crucified - even among Christ's followers. Saint Mark was crucified and shot through with arrows, I believe. Saint Peter was crucified upside down; Saint Andrew was crucified in the form of an "X"; etc. etc.

The point is not in the horror of his physical death. The point is the fact that - as God become man, and a perfect, sinless man at that - he had no reason to die; yet to accomplish our salvation, he willingly suffered death for our sake, and, arising from the dead on the third day, destroyed death and the power of the devil.

So my question to you is, why are you casting doubt on the "gift" that God has given us, first by creating us and sustaining us eternally, and more importantly by joining together with his creation? You seem to want to minimize or denigrate the "sacrifice" - but you miss the point of the gift. When someone gives us a gift, the value of the gift is not measured by how much of a sacrifice the giver made in order to give it. The value is measured in the love with which it is given. So to conclude with your own words - yes, millions of people die horrible deaths and most live on Earth for more than 33 years. But none ever have or ever will love us as God does, as does His Only-begotten Son, who "is, was and ever shall be", and whose love for us is pre-eternal and everlasting. If that's not enough for you, what else are you looking for?

Answer 2

Well Lets see... Firstly it seems obvious that you have already heard all the answers before and aren't really all that interested in the answer so I pray as I start that all those others who read this will also get the benifit of your question and my answer.

Ok so the first question is what does it mean as a basic premise. The answer is that this is one way we can know God loved us. Other ways of know he loves us are his promises in other parts of the Bible.

Now to get to the specifics: You are questioning the use of the word Gave because you think that as far as time is concerned this Gift is too small being only 33 years. But you see he Gave Christ at the begining of Sin Christ Knew then what his sacrifice was for and he is still being your sacrifice for your sins this Gift wasn't just Given for 33 years but for all of Time as we know it (of course after the Ressurection then the gift is finallized.) There is a great song that brings this point home when it describes how each time we sin we drive the nails back into his hands. He has been doing this LOVINGLY for thousands of years not a drop in the bucket time.

2. Begotten: this translation problem has been used for centuries by Various groups (like Jehovah Witnesses) To imply that Jesus was a created being. The original word translated as Begotten in the King James Version is better Translated as unique this is just to EMPHASIZE that Jesus was Unique and was the Only method of Bridging the gap with God. (James Moulton and George Milligan, The Vocabulary.)

3. Only Son: Again refers to Christs Unique Job in the Trinity it is not a reference to things God Created. Jesus was not created so God could not have "had" other sons God and Jesus were one (along with the Spirit) This was not a Gesture. God himself came to Earth in the form of a SINLESS man that we could have a SINLESS sacrifice to atone for the Sin of all that came through Adam.

Millions have died horrible deaths only as it relates to our thoughts here on earth. All who die without Christ has died more than just a Horrible Death they have fallen into an indescribably horrible eternity. Jesus died to PREVENT THAT and I would rather have a Horrible Death (a mere drop in the bucket of eternity to paraphrase your own argument earlier) than endure ETERNITY in UTTER HORROR

Answer 3

i shouldn't even answer this question, but i think the idiots answering need some schooling from someone educated in bible study...and is a devout catholic....first of all, you wouldn't understand giving a child of yours away and the challenges that brings up unless you were a parent...secondly, God is divine...therefore, He (Jesus) became human so that He could be in our shoes...to be able to teach us that we can still live a sin free life without being completely divine...im sorry, but if i were in heaven and i had to come to earth and be mortal....that would be a sacrifice for me....begotten means to come from...Jesus came from God but by the same token, they are one God...something you probably won't understand...and God had one son...Jesus...just because He could've had more, doesn't mean that it makes this one unspecial....and giving your son up to die such a ruthless death just to teach people a lesson is a lot different than driving a car....ever think about that??? 33 years is a long time...especially for us humans, and back then, the life expectancy wasn't much longer than that...so it was a lifetime to give a child up....a long time..

Answer 4

Not only that Gensis makes reference to the "Sons of God" seeing the daughters of Adam and Eve and finding them "fair" and so they married them.

This implies God already had children or sons and that Jesus may not be his only son.

Jesus, however, is the only God spawned being with a mortal Earth type woman. Maybe that has something to do with.

And, of course, if there was a MRS GOD at the time, is that Adultery? And if their is no MRS God, how so? She finite or was there a divorce?

Again these are those questions you have to mull over and EVERYONE is going to put their own spin on them!

This is one of those things in which everyone is going to put some "spin" on it, which means no one really knows for sure.

You need to learn ANCIENT Greek and then look at the scrolls and Codex's yourself and see if you can figure out with the original wording meant!

Answer 5

So God became visible and you didn't understand.

Begotten means to procreate or produce. The body that walked in this world was obviously created or caused by God. That is because the Son of God refers to the body that God would make Divine through combats with the hells. Swedenborgians call the one body that God has the Divine Human form. So God didn't change, God just became visible.

God loved the world means that God loves his creations even when they are as bad as the humans in this world. A really important concept that God loves His creations.

So the verse is important to those that want to understand even if it just bounces off your thick brain box and doesn't sink in.

Answer 6

Didn't anyone ever tell you to read the *whole* book (Gospel of John) before you start talking about it in public? You're like a guy who's going on about how chapter one of Lord of the Rings doesn't make any sense, when that's all he's read. Well...keep reading.

When you get a little further into the book, you may see God giving his only Son in a way that's a little more significant than 33 years apart. Hint: it's toward the end...

Answer 7

Joh 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

A shadow of this was Abraham and Isaac. God uses this analogy of a only begotten son to show His great love.

Answer 8

Because he always did the will of the Father and thus set an example for us to follow to be able to be made known the mysteries of God's kingdom.To have a peace that passes understanding even in times of the adversary and have a mansion in the beautiful city that we will not remember the former things to be at all tormented but have the light of the Son to God
for eternity.

Answer 9

1) "gave" means that Christ died in OUR place. Christ payed the penalty for our sins> by living a sinless life and "dying" Jesus broke the "curse" of eternal death. He restored our place in heaven.for who ever believes.
2) Begotten means NOT created, but "from" God. The title "son of" doesn't LITERALLY mean a "son", but in the old Jewish days it means to have a close relationship w/ something or to be a part of something....in this case Jesus is from and a part of the Triune God.
3)Jesus is God's only 'begotten son' as mentioned above..We are all God's created children. Jesus GAVE UP his throne/place in heaven and became a humble servant for humanity because he loves us so much.No one was beaten,humilitated,scoured,wipped,crucified like Jesus.HE did this for YOU and I and the whole world!! peace be with you.

Answer 10

because jesus died for our sins so we could get into heaven. The bible also says that Jesus knew when he was going to die, but he would rise again in three days. hence good friday and easter. the word begotten means conceived from a virgin and gods spirit was within jesus.

Answer 11

Rent Passion of The Christ and watch it.


When Adam ate the forbidden fruit we were all scre*ed, blued and tattooed. Apart from God. Forever. Forget about it.

"Only begotten" - see here: http://www.bibletruths.net/Archives/BTARO16.htm

He sent His son, through Mary, to take human form and to live the life we all live - but sinless. Thus when he was crucified He took on, and paid for, all the sins of the world, past, present and future.

Again, watch the movie. If you believe there's an ounce of authenticity in it you'll be changed.